Signaling device



March 13, 1945. J, P, KNIPP SIGNALING DEVICE Original Filed Aug. 16, 1940 INVENTOR:

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Patented Mar. 13, 1945 Joseph P. Knippf, Long'Beach,' Calif. Continuation of application-Serial No; 352,908;

August 16, 1940.

1943, SerialNo. 484,507

3 Claims. (Cl. 200-86) The present invention relatestosignaling :devices and has particular reference 't'o'pneumatic actuating means'ior such devices; This application is a. continuation of my copendingap' plication, Ser No. 352,908, filed August 16, 1940.

It is the general object of my invention to provide a simple and inexpensivedevice forsactuat ing light or bell signalsin response to pressure against a collapsible portion of the device. It is a further object to provide pneumatic actuating means which will not readily get out of order. but will give perfect service over a long period of time without special attention on the part of the user thereof.

To this end, the invention resides in the com- :binations illustrated in the accompanying drawing, a detailed description 01 which follows. and the inventionis particularly defined in the claims 'hereto appended.

In the drawing:

.Flg. 1 is a front view of a control box within which the device of my invention is shown mounted, the cover of the box' being partly brokenaway in order to expose theessential features thereof;

Fig. 2 illustrates a slightly modified form of the invention; and

Fig: 3 illustrates a signal sounding device adapted to be actuated by either one'of the aforenamed devices.

Referring in the firstinstance to Fig; 1, it is the rubber tube extending across the service driveway of gasoline dispensing stations for compression by the wheels of the entering car, thereby to actuate a. signal, usually a gong, in order to direct the attention of the attendant to the entering car. The tube 1 represents such signal tube, and it is noticed that compression thereof by a vehicle wheel causes the plunger 3 to advance until the member 4 contacts the member 5.

Fig. 3 shows a circular casing Ill, within which a solenoid magnet II is mounted. and this magnet is fitted with a plunger J2 which. in turn, is axially alined with the edge of a bell or gong the place of the stem 2 of Fig. 1.

This application April 26,

i3.- The latter is suitably mounted in thecasing, as by means ofa bracket 14 Acircuit 16 extends from a' source of electric energy l5; through'the contact members 4; 5, to the solenoid magnet, thereby to energize this magnet when contact is made by compression of the tube 1.

and to cause the plunger H to .advance until it strikes the gong. I

In practice, a transformer is cut-into the-,circuit, but as such transformer-is commercially used in such devices and forms no part of the present invention, it is not illustrated in the drawing; Suitable insulation for the contact members must, of course, be provided. The boss Binay, to the end. be made from insulating material. The stem 2 is shown fastened to the casing by.means of a bracket l8,-Which also conveniently may be made from insulating material or otherwise insulated from the stem. insulat ingv bushings I 9, 20, 2| are preferably provided in ordercompl'etely to'ins'ulate the casing and protect the device from short circuits.

It was above-statedthat' compressionof the tube I causes thet'plunger to advance. This, of course, is necessaryin order to close the circuit.

But it'is'equall'y important that the plunger is positively retracted so as to break thecircuit quickly and thereby to prevent' fusing of the contacts. In order tormake certain that the plunger is quickly and positively retracted by suction of the expanding tube after pressure thereagainst is relieved, it is necessary to fit the plunger within the stem with great exactness. If any leakage takes place during operations of the device, no clean break of the circuit will be effected and the contact may not even be made. When the plunger is properly fitted, it will function satisfactorily no matter in what direction the casing is mounted.

The device of Fig. 2 is, so far as functioning is concerned. exactly a duplicate of the one above described. structurally, the difference is chiefly that the plunger portion is greatly enlarged-in diameter, and this is done in order. to prcvide'a more sensitive switch actuating device. The tubular member 1 is. in this drawing, shown attached to a nipple 3|. of a cylindrical cup 32, seated within the casing 80. and this cup takes The plunger in this case takes the form of a cylindrical cap 7 33. which is carefully machined and fitted to slide axially on the cup. So far as normal operation is concerned, this plunger element might as well be fitted to slide within the cup, in similarity with the plunger 3 of Fig. 1, and the diameter plunger such as shown in Fig. 1. This is a distinct and very important advantage. The

contact mechanism may, in this case, remain as;

above described but, because of the greater sensitiveness of this construction, I have found it preferable to employ a switch mechanism comprising resilient fingers 34, 35 terminating in contacts 36, 31. An insulating plug 38 is seated in the cap 33 to impart the slight movement necessary to close the circuit through these contacts. It

is well to provide backing for the finger 35, and

such backing here takes the shape of a pad 35, made from insulating material. It is shown mounted'on a stud 40 which is axially adjustable in the casing properly to space the contacts apart.

The contact fingers are shown mounted on a post 4| of the casing, and they are insulated therefrom, as by means of rubber or fibre bushings 42, 43, 44, but other suitable mounting means may be substituted, if preferred. The casing 30 should also be provided with a tightly fitted cover in order to exclude all dirt and dust therefrom, but for the sake of clearness, onlya corner of such cover is indicated at 45, and means such as screws 46, 41 are employed to mount the cover tightly in position.

I am aware that other devices have been devention, and it is not my intention to be limited to the exact arrangements and proportions of parts shown and described, but I reserve the right to embody further modifications within the scope of the claims hereto appended.

Iclaim:

l. A pneumatically actuated signaling device comprising, a casing, a cylindrical cup of relatively large diameter seated Within said casing,

ing in resilient electric contact members mount- .ed on and insulated from said post, and an insula'ted element on the cap adjacent one of said members adapted to move the member against the other member in response to expansive movement of the cap thereby to close said circuit.

- 2.'A pneumatically actuated signaling device comprising, acylindrical cup of relatively large said post, an insulated stop for one of said contacts, and an insulated element on said cap adjacent the other contact and adapted to move it against the first named contact in response to expansive movement of the cap thereby tovclose to reciprocate on the cup, a post mounted within the casing adjacent said cap, a normally open circuit terminating in resilient contact members mounted on and insulated from said post, an insulated stop in the casing for one 'of said members, adjusting means for said stop, and an insulated element on said cap adjacent the other member and adapted to move the latter against the first named member in response to expansive movement of the cap thereby to close said circuit.

JOSEPH P. KNIPP. 

